The Cannon Fodder Male Supporting Character Is the Zombie King - Chapter 4

Zhou Huaichen had been busy the entire day. Not only with the film studio project, but also with two acquisition cases waiting for him. He didn’t even have time to take a sip of water.
It wasn’t until after his meeting ended that he finally saw Ye Wei’an’s message.
He looked at those two short sentences and the two stickers. The corners of his lips couldn’t help but lift.
Then, imagining Ye Wei’an’s expressionless face while sending those cute emojis, he felt as if something had lightly scratched at his heart.
He pressed down the voice message button, let out a soft laugh, and said, “Only a bunny?”
When Ye Wei’an heard the notification sound, realizing Zhou Huaichen had replied, he immediately tapped to listen.
Across the internet, Zhou Huaichen’s voice had lost some of its natural charm. Even the faint “grape flavor” in it seemed to have faded a little.
He felt a bit disappointed, yet still couldn’t stop himself from replaying it several times.
The system, seeing him listening on loop, finally couldn’t stand it anymore and reminded him: 【Aren’t you going to reply to his message?】
Ye Wei’an’s attention was still completely on Zhou Huaichen’s voice. He hadn’t even registered exactly what Zhou had said.
He listened carefully once more, finally catching the meaning behind Zhou’s words, and immediately started searching for stickers, sending them all in a rush.
Ye: 【Puppy being cute · jpg】
Ye: 【Kitten being cute · jpg】
……
Ye: 【Sloth being cute · jpg】
Ye: 【Blue whale being cute · jpg】
He sent more than a dozen stickers in one go, each one featuring a different animal.
Through his actions, he was clearly telling Zhou Huaichen: How could there only be bunnies? You can find any animal you want just by searching!
The system watched its host’s behavior and suddenly began to doubt whether choosing this host for the mission had been a mistake.
The host was just too much of a straight man. On top of that, a poker-faced zombie king. Asking someone like him to win over Yan Qing, that walking heartthrob, already sounded like an impossible task.
And thinking back to how, earlier that day, the host had thrown a stack of financial statements at Yan Qing and demanded that he quickly repay seven hundred million, the system felt even more hopeless.
……
Zhou Huaichen’s assistant brought in a cup of coffee. As Zhou took a sip, he saw over a dozen new messages from Ye Wei’an and nearly choked.
……The Ye family’s head was even more interesting than he’d imagined.
His fingertips brushed across the screen as he flipped through the collection of cute animal stickers. Thinking about how Ye Wei’an must have sent them all with that perfectly serious expression, the corners of his lips curved upward slightly. Suddenly, all the day’s exhaustion seemed to melt away.
Putting down his coffee, Zhou Huaichen replied with a voice message: “Then what are you?”
After listening to the message, Ye Wei’an was completely dumbfounded.
Was he asking what animal he was?
He wasn’t an animal. He was the Zombie King!
Unfortunately, there wasn’t a “Zombie King being cute” sticker. He began to consider whether he should commission someone to draw a Zombie King series. Among them, the best-looking one absolutely had to be the Zombie King being cute.
Zhou Huaichen waited for a long time without receiving a reply. When he imagined Ye Wei’an’s expressionless face deep in thought, he suddenly found it adorable. The smile on his lips deepened.
After signing the last document and handing it to his assistant, he prepared to clock out while waiting for Ye Wei’an’s reply.
Just then, Zhou Yongnan burst into the office, exclaiming excitedly, “Uncle, you have to help me!”
Zhou Huaichen motioned for his assistant to leave first, then asked calmly, “What is it?”
“Ye Wei’an told Yan Qing to pay back seven hundred million!” Zhou Yongnan rattled off the whole story in one breath, then said indignantly, “He was the one who chased after Yan Qing before, begging to invest in him. And now he’s suddenly demanding the money back. What’s that supposed to mean? That’s not how a man should act!”
Yan Qing had come to him crying, asking to borrow money. As the eldest young master of the Zhou family, Zhou Yongnan received generous fund dividends every year. Counting up all the assets given to him by his elders since childhood, seven hundred million was indeed within reach. But all that money was firmly in his parents’ control. He couldn’t touch it. Even if he could take it out, there was no way he’d dare hand over seven hundred million at once. If the elders found out, they’d probably break his legs.
Seven hundred million! Not seventy thousand!
A few years ago, Ye Wei’an had poured huge sums of money into promoting Yan Qing. Tens of billions, not a small number. Zhou Huaichen had heard a bit about it as well. Thinking of how good Ye Wei’an had been to Yan Qing back then, he felt a faint twinge of displeasure in his heart.
However, remembering what he’d heard of Ye Wei’an’s inner thoughts that day, he realized Ye likely hadn’t done it out of love for Yan Qing.
Now, hearing that Ye Wei’an was demanding the money back, Zhou Huaichen’s mood suddenly felt much lighter.
He lifted his gaze toward Zhou Yongnan. “So, what is it you want from me?”
Zhou Yongnan clenched his fists. “Could you lend me seven hundred million? Yan Qing came to borrow money from me, and I want to help him.” Afraid that Zhou Huaichen might refuse, he hurriedly added, “Ye Wei’an is using that seven hundred million to threaten Yan Qing. Either he pays it back, or he has to stay loyal to Ye and be with him. Yan Qing is my boyfriend! That scoundrel Ye Wei’an is totally taking advantage of him…”
Before he could finish, a sharp sound cut him off.
Zhou Huaichen had slammed his coffee cup down hard on the desk, the sound crisp and cold. His gaze was icy as he stared at Zhou Yongnan.
“…Uncle,” Zhou Yongnan stammered, startled, watching his expression cautiously.
Zhou Huaichen’s voice was cold. “President Ye told Yan Qing to break up with you and then be with him?”
“Yes!” Zhou Yongnan’s anger flared up again as he spoke. “So what if he’s got a few lousy billions? What gives him the right to threaten Yan Qing like that?”
At that, he couldn’t help pleading, “Uncle, you have to help me! I’m the eldest young master of the Zhou family. I represent our family’s reputation. How can I let Ye Wei’an trample all over me like this? Wouldn’t that be humiliating for the Zhou family?”
Zhou Huaichen didn’t say a word. He just stared at him in silence.
Zhou Yongnan had been about to badmouth Ye Wei’an further, but when he noticed the unpleasant expression on his uncle’s face, his complexion dark and cold, he didn’t dare utter another word.
After a long while, he finally asked cautiously, “Uncle… is the acquisition not going smoothly?”
He didn’t know much about the company’s affairs, but a few days ago, he had overheard his grandfather and uncle talking at the old house, and learned that the Zhou family was planning to acquire two overseas shipping companies.
Zhou Huaichen rubbed at the space between his brows and didn’t answer the question. He only said, “Take my advice. Break up with your boyfriend as soon as possible.”
Zhou Yongnan’s eyes widened instantly.
He was both angry and confused.
His uncle had never interfered in his personal affairs. He and Yan Qing had been together for two years, and not once had his uncle voiced an opinion. So why was he suddenly expressing dissatisfaction with Yan Qing now?
In fact, most of the family hadn’t been very fond of Yan Qing. That day, when he’d gone home to ask his grandfather for help dealing with Ye Wei’an, his grandfather had made it clear that he wouldn’t get involved once he learned that Yan Qing had been the one to provoke Ye Wei’an first…
But he couldn’t help it. He truly liked Yan Qing. Just thinking about Yan Qing leaving him made his heart ache.
“Uncle, please… help me…” He clasped his hands together and pleaded softly.
Zhou Huaichen said, “Ask your parents.”
It was precisely because he didn’t dare go to his parents that he’d come to beg Zhou Huaichen. But seeing that his uncle had no intention of helping him, he could only leave, full of dejection.
When the office was finally empty, Zhou Huaichen sat on the sofa, silently replaying Zhou Yongnan’s words in his mind. He didn’t move for a long while.
After an unknown stretch of time, he received a message from Ye Wei’an—
Ye: 【I’m not an animal. I’m the Zombie King.】
As if afraid Zhou Huaichen might be scared, Ye Wei’an quickly sent another message—
Ye: 【The Zombie King isn’t scary at all. He’s very calm and very handsome. You could get to know him.】
Zhou Huaichen couldn’t help but let out a quiet laugh as he looked at Ye Wei’an’s completely off-topic messages.
But when he thought about how Ye Wei’an had used seven hundred million to force Yan Qing to be with him, the lightness in his heart sank again.
It was already close to ten at night. Zhou Huaichen rubbed his thumb against his forefinger for a moment, then opened the chat window and typed—
Zhou Huaichen: 【You owe me a meal. Treat me tomorrow, alright?】
He had originally intended to take things slowly, not wanting to use up such an opportunity so soon.
But he really wanted to know the truth behind that seven hundred million.
Ye Wei’an received the message and replied indifferently with a single word: 【Alright.】
It was just a meal. This world wasn’t like the apocalypse, where resources were scarce. It wouldn’t cost much anyway.
The system, having watched the entire exchange between its host and the great Boss Zhou, suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of unease: 【Host, something’s wrong between you and Zhou Huaichen. Very wrong.】
Ye Wei’an: “…”
System: 【Are you two going on a date tomorrow? What about Yan Qing then?】
Putting his phone down, Ye Wei’an said casually, “What about him? He can come beg me when he’s done crying.”
System: 【……】
*
The next day, after finishing up work at the company, Ye Wei’an drove to a private restaurant around noon.
The restaurant was chosen by Zhou Huaichen, located inside a traditional courtyard house.
He arrived first and had just stepped into the private room when there was a knock on the door.
Yan Qing walked in, eyes brimming with tears, looking pitifully at him. “President Zhou, could you please help me?”
Zhou Huaichen narrowed his eyes and glanced toward the restaurant owner who had followed behind Yan Qing.
The owner, an old friend of many years, winked at him playfully. “The big star begged and pleaded just to see you. Give him a little face, won’t you?”
Tears were already streaming down Yan Qing’s face as he cried, “President Ye’s been threatening me. I’ve begged so many people, but no one dares offend him. Even Yongnan can’t help me. You’re the only one in the world who can…”
“Please leave.” Zhou Huaichen’s voice was polite, but the three words were final. His gaze still didn’t fall on Yan Qing. Instead, it swept past him to rest on the restaurant owner once again.
The owner could tell he was angry, and didn’t dare delay. He immediately half-dragged, half-ushered Yan Qing out of the room.
Just then, Ye Wei’an happened to be walking in. Seeing Yan Qing coming out, he let out a surprised “Huh? You came to see me?”
Tears still clung to the corners of Yan Qing’s eyes as he stared at him resentfully, saying nothing.
Ye Wei’an, not catching on to the mood, continued to ask, “Did you come to pay me back?”
Yan Qing gritted his teeth. “I don’t have any money.”
Ye Wei’an made an “oh” sound. “So, you’ve chosen to be with me then?”
Yan Qing fell silent.
Ye Wei’an, a little puzzled, asked the system, “What’s wrong with him?”
System: 【……】
Just then, Zhou Huaichen walked out.
Ye Wei’an immediately dropped his question and waved at him.
Zhou Huaichen didn’t spare Yan Qing a glance. He gave Ye Wei’an a small smile and said, “Let’s go to the private room. It’s quieter there.”
Ye Wei’an nodded and walked alongside him.
After a few steps, he turned his head toward Yan Qing and said, “Not repaying your debt properly…There must be something wrong with your head.”
Yan Qing: “……”
The corner of Zhou Huaichen’s lips curved slightly.
Ignoring Yan Qing, Ye Wei’an continued walking as he asked Zhou Huaichen, “Did you look it up?”
Zhou Huaichen’s gaze shifted to his face. “Mm.”
Ye Wei’an: “The calm and handsome Zombie King. Did you look that up?”
Zhou Huaichen: “……”